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The Longest Unbeaten Runs In Champions League History

Manchester United have the longest unbeaten Champions League run of all-time
The Red Devils have three of the seven longest undefeated streaks in competition history
Read below for the 10 longest CL unbeaten runs ever

The same clubs are often at the forefront of Champions League betting. Unsurprisingly, those big names are also the ones that have built many of the longest unbeaten Champions League runs.

Manchester United have three of the seven longest undefeated stretches in the competition, and only one other English club features on this list. Here are the 10 longest unbeaten streaks in Champions League history.

Chelsea 2008-10 – 14 matches

Winners of the 2021 Champions League, Chelsea have been a persistent contender for Europe’s greatest club honour. Back in 2008, the west London club embarked on a 14-match unbeaten run in the Champions League, which stretched to 2010.

This was the period when Chelsea were arguably at their strongest. They endured several near misses in the competition, including controversies against Barcelona and a final heart break at the hands of Manchester United.

Of course, the Blues went on to defy all Champions League predictions when they lifted the big-eared trophy in 2012.

Barcelona 2005-06 – 15 matches

Including their 2006 win over Arsenal in the final, Barcelona rattled off a run of 15 matches unbeaten in the Champions League.

This was the pre-Pep era for the Catalan club, albeit this wasn’t a team lacking star power.

Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o led the way, with the Brazilian scoring seven times in the 2005-06 edition of the competition. This isn’t the Barca team with the greatest legacy, but its success shouldn’t be forgotten.

Real Madrid 2016-17 – 15 matches

After witnessing Barcelona dominate the Champions League around the turn of the decade, Real Madrid owned the competition from 2013 through to 2018. Included in that streak was a 15-match undefeated run for Los Blancos.

Real won three successive Champions Leagues. This span increased their lead in numerous categories.

Of course, Cristiano Ronaldo continued his ascent up the Champions League top scorers list in this spell, too.

Manchester United 1998-99 – 16 matches

Only a loss in the 1999-2000 group stage ended this unbeaten Champions League run for Manchester United.

The dramatic night against Bayern in 1999 is one of the most remarkable matches in the club’s history and helped to secure an unprecedented treble.

After progressing from Group D ahead of Barcelona at the start of 1998-99, the Red Devils saw off Inter and Juventus in the knockout rounds before Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer secured their status as Old Trafford legends in the final.

Manchester United 2001-02 – 16 matches

Not long after their 1998-99 run, Manchester United put together another 16-game unbeaten streak. There was no Champions League win in the midst of this one, however.

In fact, Alex Ferguson’s side had to wait almost another decade before they would appear in the final again.

They fell to eventual runners-up Bayer Leverkusen in the 2001-02 edition of the competition and were knocked out by Real Madrid in the following campaign.

Barcelona 2011-12 – 16 matches

Perhaps the greatest club side we’ve ever seen, Barcelona were perennial betting favourites to win the competition around this period. Lionel Messi was at his peak, and Pep Guardiola’s side were a relentless winning machine.

They picked up 16 points and scored 20 goals in the 2011-12 group stage before hammering Bayer Leverkusen and then Milan.

The winning run, though, was brought to an abrupt end thanks to a Didier Drogba goal and a resolute Chelsea rear-guard in the last four.

Bayern Munich 2001-02 – 19 matches

Winners of the competition in 2000-01, Bayern Munich built on that success by going unbeaten in both group stages in 2001-02.

They even beat Real Madrid in the first leg of the quarter-final but succumbed to a 2-0 defeat in the second match to end their unbeaten streak and knock them out of the competition.

The 2002-03 Champions League brought the Bavarians crashing back down to earth as they took just two points from six group stage matches.

Ajax 1994-96 – 19 matches

Champions of Europe in 1995, Ajax are one of 10 clubs to go all the way without suffering defeat.

The run continued long beyond lifting the trophy in 1995, however, with de Godenzonen not losing a match in the competition until the first leg of the 1995-96 semi-final.

A joy to watch with big names galore, this Ajax team didn’t stay together as long as many in Amsterdam would have hoped, but the key players went on to enjoy successful careers all over the continent.

Bayern Munich 2019-21 – 19 matches

While Bayern’s 2020 Champions League triumph was in unusual circumstances, they still managed to build the joint-second longest unbeaten streak in competition history.

They were the first team to win a European Cup or Champions League with a 100% record in 2019-20.

Dominating their group in 2020-21 too, Bayern then made light work of Lazio in the last 16 to add to their run. PSG ended the stretch with a 3-2 win in the first leg of the quarter-final.

Manchester City 2022-Present -- 21 matches

The only active run on this is courtesy of Manchester City. Treble winners in 2022-23 after defeating Inter in the Champions League final, Pep Guardiola's team have continued their unbeaten streak in the Champions League in 2023-24.

Winning all six of their group matches, City then dispatched Copenhagen over two legs in the last 16. They will be eyeing Manchester United's record in the upcoming knockout matches.

Manchester United 2007-09 – 25 matches

Manchester United’s 25 matches unbeaten between September 2007 and May 2009 is the longest unbeaten streak in Champions League history by a comfortable margin.

It featured 10 wins and five draws, one of which was the 2008 final, which Manchester United won on penalties against Chelsea.

They weren’t at their best in the 2008-09 group stage but remained undefeated. Knocking out Inter, Porto and Arsenal, the Red Devils took the run to 25 before suffering a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Barcelona in the final.

*Credit for the main photo in this article belongs to Alamy*

March 27, 2024

Champions League

By Sam Cox

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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

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Who Are The 10 Most Followed Female Soccer Players On Instagram

Women’s soccer has been on the rise for many years but it has seen a huge influx of fans in the last few years.

With matches attracting large audiences from all over the world and Euro 2025 on the way, football betting fans have enhanced their understanding of the women’s game.

Social media is a key reason for the increased interest. Stars like Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe have used their social media presence to promote women’s soccer and female footballers are starting to see more recognition.

Most Followed Female Soccer Players:

Leah Williamson - 1.1 million
Lieke Martens – 1.1 million
Jordyn Huitema – 1.3 million
Deyna Castellanos – 1.7 million
Sam Kerr – 1.8 million
Norma Palafox – 2.2 million
Marta – 2.8 million
Alexia Putellas - 3.3 million
Ana Markovic – 3 million
Alisha Lehmann – 17 million

The United States women’s national team are the dominant force in soccer but they are facing stronger opposition each year from teams like Brazil and England.

Without further ado, it is time to take a look at the most popular women’s soccer players on Instagram.

Leah Williamson - 1.1 million

Lieke Martens – 1.1 million

An Ajax fan who earned comparisons to Johan Cruyff at a young age, Lieke Martens is an iconic figure in Dutch football.

Martens was named UEFA’s Player of the Year in 2017 ahead of Carli Lloyd and Deyna Castellanos.

The Dutch star followed in the path of another generational playmaker, making the move from Barcelona to PSG in 2022.

Martens, like Lionel Messi, collected medals in Catalunya, but hasn't reached the same level in Paris.

Jordyn Huitema – 1.3 million

Jordyn Huitema is popular all over the world. She has already taken steps towards filling the sizeable shoes of Christine Sinclair.

Huitema often made the headlines for her relationship with compatriot and fellow football betting star Alphonso Davies.

The couple split up in 2022. Since, it has become public that Huitema is in a relationship with Seattle Mariners phenom Julio Rodriguez.

Deyna Castellanos – 1.7 million

Deyna Castellanos is not as decorated as many of her peers on this list, but the Venezuelan international has worked as a pundit for men’s and women’s World Cups, and made a high-profile move to Manchester City in 2022.

The transfer didn't work out. Castellanos signed for NWSL expansion franchise Bay FC in 2024 and bought out her contract in January 2025 to join Portland Thorns.

Sam Kerr – 1.8 million

The only player to have won the Golden Boot in three different leagues, Sam Kerr is one of the greatest forwards in the history of women’s football.

Kerr signed for Chelsea in 2020, and has scored at an average of 0.8 goals per match for the west London club.

Long-term skipper of the Australian national team, Kerr has an extraordinary list of accolades on both a personal and team level.

Having surpassed 1,000 posts on Instagram, Kerr's profile isn't going to shrink any time soon.

Norma Palafox – 2.2 million

Mexican star Norma Palafox has long been a big name in football betting. Since starting her career with Guadalajara, Palafox has moved around several Mexican clubs.

Most recently, she signed for Juarez in 2024.

She frequently posts on Instagram, with plenty of snaps from training, matches and her personal life.

Marta – 2.8 million

The consensus greatest female footballer of all-time, it’s no surprise Marta is in the top five on this list.

The Brazilian is among the highest-paid female soccer players, and has plied her trade with the Orland Pride since 2017.

Marta is a six-time winner of FIFA World Player of the Year. No player has scored more World Cup goals. IFFHS named her the best women’s player of the 2010s.

The CV speaks for itself, from titles in Sweden to leading Brazil to finals at the World Cup and Olympics.

Both a masterful playmaker and prolific goal scorer, Marta is a once-in-a-generation talent. She won the NSWL Championship and NSWL Shield with Orlando in 2024.

Alexia Putellas - 3.3 million

A nine-time Spanish champion with Barcelona and the Ballon d’Or winner in 2021 and 2022, Alexia Putellas is an absolute phenomenon.

She has been the best player in the world over the last few years, and has enjoyed immense success at both club and international level. Putellas won the 2023 World Cup and 2023-24 Nations League with Spain, and has thrice won the Champions League.

Putellas modelled her game on the midfielders of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona tenure. Comparisons to Andres Iniesta are accurate, such is Putellas’ ability to dribble past opponents and deliver passes through the tightest of windows.

Ana Markovic – 3 million

Former Braga forward Ana Markovic has almost three million followers on Instagram, putting her ahead of some of the best players in the world.

Markovic is yet to reach those heights, though she has made 20 appearances for Croatia since debuting in 2021.

Alisha Lehmann – 17 million

Having passed the 17 million mark, Alisha Lehmann is the most followed female footballer on Instagram by a healthy margin.

Born in Tägertschi, Lehmann has represented Switzerland on 60 occasions, but moved to English football in 2018 when she joined West Ham.

Via a short loan at Everton, Lehmann swapped London for Birmingham as she signed with Aston Villa in 2021. In July 2024, she swapped Birmingham for Turin as she signed a three-year deal with Juventus.

Lehmann has become a viral sensation. She is very active on various social media channels, and has recently collaborated with EA Sports.

The Swiss international has attracted a lot of attention over the last couple of years, and in a 2023 interview, spoke passionately about femininity in sport.

"It's not a bad thing to want to look like a girl and play football. I really support that, and I want everyone to be themselves when they play the sport. It's just that sometimes people don't seem to accept that women can and do play football."

All Premier League odds are here!

Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*

March 27, 2024

Women's World Cup

By Sam Cox

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The Top 10 Club Attendances In English Football

The biggest largest attendances in English football history are detailed and celebrated below, accompanied by their Premier League equivalents for each club.

Additionally, three other big clubs have been added, purely in the interest of interest.

Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs Record Attendance: 85,512 vs Bayer Leverkusen (November 2016)

Playing their Champions League games at Wembley paved the way for an all-time record crowd for any English side as seemingly half of North London turned up to see Mauricio Pochettino’s men come unstuck against an under-estimated opposition.

Spurs were the pre-match favourites in the football betting odds but a strike by Kevin Kempl on the hour-mark resulted in the masses leaving disappointed.

Spurs Record Premier League Attendance: 83,222 vs Arsenal (February 2018)

With Tottenham now fully decamped at Wembley to allow their magnificent new stadium to be constructed another enormous crowd showed up for the 182nd North London Derby, one that felt very meaningful at the time.

Spurs were in the ascendancy, in the title reckoning and blessed with having a striker in Harry Kane who seemed to score every week. The England man duly slotted home the only goal here.

As for the Gunners, it was the end of days of Arsene Wenger’s long tenure. No-one knew at this point what the future held for them.

Manchester City

Man City Record Attendance: 84,569 vs Stoke City (March 1934)

A record for an English club’s home match until Tottenham played at Wembley in 2016, Manchester City and Stoke City played in front of nearly 85,000 fans in the sixth-round of the 1933/34 FA Cup at Maine Road.

Manchester City saw off the Potters on their way to winning their second FA Cup. No history, eh?

Man City Record Premier League Attendance: 54,693 vs Leicester City (February 2016)

Ask any Leicester fan and they will tell you that this was the day when they actually started to believe that a ridiculous, far-fetched, fairy tale league title was indeed up for grabs.

The Foxes took an early lead courtesy of Robert Huth and never looked like losing thereafter, relentlessly hitting City on the break. It ended 3-1 but in truth it could have been more.

A recently opened South Stand expansion explains the record attendance, the Etihad’s capacity soon after being reduced slightly.

Chelsea

Chelsea Record Attendance: 82,905 vs Arsenal (October 1935)

It is astonishing to think that double Stamford Bridge’s current capacity crammed into the same famous stadium all those decades back to witness a 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

This clash may have pre-dated Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger by about seventy years but the rivalry was alive and thriving even back then.

Separated by just two points at the end of the season, neither side threatened eventual champions Sunderland a great deal, although Arsenal did win the cup.

Chelsea Record Premier League Attendance: 46,824 vs Manchester United (November 2003)

A few months into Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea reign, just shy of 47,000 were at the Bridge to see Claudio Ranieri’s Blues edge past Manchester United thanks to a Frank Lampard penalty.

There were big names aplenty on show, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy, John Terry and Claude Makelele.

Manchester United

Man United Record Attendance: 81,962 vs Arsenal (January 1948)

Relocated to Manchester City’s Maine Road because of bomb damage to Old Trafford, Manchester United hosted over 80,000 fans for a 1948 clash with Arsenal.

As the country recovered from the Second World War, the two teams who dominated the early Premier League years battled for the Division One title.

Arsenal lifted the trophy at the end of the 1947/48 campaign a few months after a 1-1 draw at Maine Road with their closest challengers.

Man United Record Premier League Attendance: 76,098 vs Blackburn Rovers (March 2007)

Sir Alex Ferguson’s United completed some of the Premier League biggest wins at Old Trafford. They lifted league trophies there. They enjoyed famous European nights that live long in the memory.

Yet none of them had a bigger attendance than this perfectly ordinary March afternoon, when mid-table Blackburn were comfortably dispatched.

Everton

Everton Record Attendance: 78,299 vs Liverpool (September 1948)

The post-war football boom saw crowds swell at every ground. Add in that this was a Merseyside derby and unsurprisingly it was a sell-out.

An early season encounter saw the great Bob Paisley starting for Liverpool and Joe Mercer for the Toffees. The match ended 1-1 with Jock Dodds getting on the scoresheet for the hosts at a packed Goodison.

Everton Record Premier League Attendance: 40,552 vs Liverpool (December 2004)

The Toffees finished fourth this season, securing Champions League football for the first time, and here a very decent side featuring Tim Cahill, Duncan Ferguson and Nigel Martyn between the sticks executed their first derby win in over five years.

A moment of sheer quality from Lee Carsley punctuated a tense, tight contest, the midfielder’s long-ranger leaving Chris Kirkland rooted to the spot.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa Record Attendance: 76,588 vs Derby County (March 1946)

Just months after the end of the Second World War, a whopping 76,588 people piled into Villa Park to watch the first leg of Aston Villa’s FA Cup tie with Derby County.

A pair of late goals from The Rams saw them win a seven-goal thriller 4-3 in Birmingham before eking out a 1-1 draw in the second leg.

Derby beat Birmingham City in the last four and won a dramatic final against Charlton Athletic to lift their first and only FA Cup.

Aston Villa Record Premier League Attendance: 45,347 vs Liverpool (May 1994)

It had been a frustrating campaign for both teams, Villa finishing tenth, despite being blessed with a terrific forward line. Liverpool for their part concluded their season in eighth as they reluctantly embarked on several years of mediocrity.

Only one of them went into the summer with a smile on their face and it was the hosts, who overturned a first-half deficit via two goals by Dwight Yorke.

Some of football’s greatest quotes were coined by Bill Shankly. You have to wonder what he would have said about the seasons of struggle that came next.

Sunderland

Sunderland Record Attendance: 75,118 vs Derby County (March 1933)

Sunderland hosted Derby County in an FA Cup sixth-round replay in the early 1930s and drew a crowd just shy of the current capacity of Old Trafford.

The official capacity was around 60,000 at the time, but an extra 15,000 or fans squeezed in to witness Derby scrape a 1-0 away victory.

The Rams went on to lose to Manchester City in the semi-final played in Huddersfield. As for Sunderland, they would get their hands on the cup four years later.

Sunderland Record Premier League Attendance: 48,355 vs Liverpool (April 2002)

Like their record crowd at Roker Park, Sunderland’s highest Premier League attendance – which came at the Stadium of Light – also ended in a 1-0 defeat.

That seems apt for a club that historically has a habit for snatching heartbreak from the jaws of glory.

Liverpool were the winners on this occasion, with Sunderland’s Claudio Reyna being sent off in the 89th minute to compound Mackem misery.

Arsenal

Arsenal Record Attendance: 73,707 vs RC Lens (November 1998)

The Gunners were granted permission to play their Champions League home games at Wembley in order to boost attendances and after a seven year absence from the competition fans duly flocked to the national stadium.

Alas, their French opponents put a major dampener on what could have been a special night, smuggling away with them a 1-0 win.

Arsenal Record Premier League attendance: 60,383 vs Wolves (November 2019)

The Emirates had never before been so jam-packed despite this being a fairly ordinary fixture and, ultimately, a perfectly forgettable outcome.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put the hosts ahead halfway through the first half only for Raul Jimenez to equalise late on.

Newcastle United

Newcastle Record Attendance: 68,386 vs Chelsea (September 1930)

Held at the odd kick-off time of 6.15pm on a Wednesday evening – this of course being prior to the introduction of floodlights – the Magpies rewarded their bumper crowd with a narrow 1-0 victory, the heroically-named Jack Cape grabbing the winner.

Newcastle Record Premier League Attendance: 52,227 vs Chelsea (November 2023)

Chelsea again were the visitors but this time the scoreline was far more emphatic, Eddie Howe’s men racking up a 4-1 triumph courtesy of an exhilarating second half showing.

The result rekindled hopes of a top four spot for the newly-minted North-East giants.

Liverpool

Liverpool Record Attendance: 61,905 vs Wolves (February 1952)

Pre-Shankly and pre-everything we associate with the Reds today, Liverpool were the FA Cup underdogs in 1952 when they entertained a feted Wolves side complete with the great Billy Wright.

The visitors would soon embark on a series of title-winning campaigns but here they found themselves surprisingly outclassed on the day, exiting the competition 2-1.

We can only imagine the thunderous din from the Kop.

Liverpool Record Premier League attendance: 57,158 vs Man United (December 2023)

The new, expanded Anfield Road Stand was opened in time for the latest squabble between these two famous names, a match-up that very rarely failed to ignite.

Alas, on this occasion it did, United’s stoic defence keeping out Salah and company throughout to ensure a dull goalless stalemate.

*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

March 21, 2024

Premier League

By Stephen Tudor

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Stephen Tudor is a freelance football writer and sports enthusiast who only knows slightly less about the beautiful game than you do.

A contributor to FourFourTwo and Forbes, he is a Manchester City fan who was taken to Maine Road as a child because his grandad predicted they would one day be good.

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Chelsea 2008-10 – 14 matches

Barcelona 2005-06 – 15 matches

Real Madrid 2016-17 – 15 matches

Manchester United 1998-99 – 16 matches

Manchester United 2001-02 – 16 matches

Barcelona 2011-12 – 16 matches

Bayern Munich 2001-02 – 19 matches

Ajax 1994-96 – 19 matches

Bayern Munich 2019-21 – 19 matches

Manchester City 2022-Present -- 21 matches

Manchester United 2007-09 – 25 matches

Most Followed Female Soccer Players:

Leah Williamson - 1.1 million

Lieke Martens – 1.1 million

Jordyn Huitema – 1.3 million

Deyna Castellanos – 1.7 million

Sam Kerr – 1.8 million

Norma Palafox – 2.2 million

Marta – 2.8 million

Alexia Putellas - 3.3 million

Ana Markovic – 3 million

Alisha Lehmann – 17 million

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10th) The AESSEAL New York Stadium - Rotherham United

9th) Carrow Road – Norwich City

8th) The Den – Millwall

7th) Coventry Building Society Arena – Coventry City

6th) King Power Stadium – Leicester City

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2nd) Elland Road – Leeds United

1st) MATRADE Loftus Road Stadium – Queens Park Rangers

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Best Defensive Seasons In Premier League History:

Liverpool, 2005-06, 25 goals

Chelsea, 2006-07, 24 goals

Manchester United, 2008-09, 24 goals

Chelsea, 2008-09, 24 goals

Manchester City, 2018-19, 23 goals

Liverpool, 2018-19, 22 goals

Manchester United, 2007-08, 22 goals

Chelsea, 2005-06, 22 goals

Arsenal, 1998-99, 17 goals

Chelsea, 2004-05, 15 goals